The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1887-12-17

Ne ono denies that the Oomocratlc
party from the first, always, without
deviation. without variableness or
shadow Of turning, has been the work.
lng-man's party. and has been pro-
foundry interested in the welfare Of
working.men. The interest that the
Democratic party has taken in the
welfare of working-men has not been
spasmodic, ftful, variable. Irregular
but steady, constant and conscientious
We challenge the record, every page
luminous with the facts as we state
them. It could not. in the nature of
things. be otherwise. The great MAJ
iority of the Democratic party has
always been poor men, working-men.
not millionaires. not aristocrats, not
men who accumulated wealth by mo-
nopolistic methods, railroad wrecking,
land grabbing. stock and bond gam
bling, land stealing. etc. Such things
have distinguished the Republican
party and in other days. the Wing
party. Andrew Jackson saw the tend
sncy Of the times. when he laid his
magisterial hand ON the United States
Bank and crushed .stupendous mo-
nopoly.
The Democratic idea is the equitable
distribution of the wealth which labor
creates. The Democratic party adopts
the declaration that all wealth, all rev.
enues are derived from labor, and this
being true. labor should be fairly re-
munerated. The right Of labor to or
ganize to promote its welfare is not
only conceded but advocated. Demo-
Gratis believe that such organisations
are prudential and in consonance with
Democratic policy and good governs
ment.
Tn, question arises, what are tho
prime objects of labor organizations A
general reply would be the welfare Of
their members. But to be more spe-
cifc. many Of the labor organizations
are benevolent in character-they are
kind Of life and health insurance A.
sociations. They issue and pay death,
disability and sickness policies. In
many of these organizations the most
rigid examinations are practiced-only
men of good sound moral character
are inflated. The demand Is that the
members shall be sober and industrious,
that they shall be skilled in their trade
or calling, that they shall appreciate
the weight and worth of their obliga-
ton and shall be in all regards good
citizens.
Manifestly these labor organizations
are profoundly interested in the mat
ter of wages. They demand fair pay
for fair days work. To this the
Democratic party does not object
indeed it is and has been the battle
cry Of the Democratic party-nor is
there anywhere on record a particle
of evidence to the contrary. To as
sumo that the Democratic party has
at any time, anywhere, been opposed
to fair pay. or fair, honest work, Is a
monstrous hbel--known to be such by
all men who are capable of discussing
labor problems.
But it may be asked. who shah de-
termine what is fair days work, and
what is a far price for = fair day 8
work? These have been the serious
questions. the difficult questions. and
in settling them many serious contro-
versies have arisen-and it is useless
to say they have been outside the do
main of party politics-no political
party ever sought to regulate the price
Of labor-and moments reflection is
sufficient to dismiss the proposition. But
there are instances where working
men have fixed the prices for their
work. they have selected their work,
chosen the fields Of labor, and then
selected the prices for which they
would perform certain services Hav-
ing the kind of work they perform and
receiving the wages which they have
determined as equitable, as also the
time Of payment. the question arises
If the employer accedes to these de-
mands, and meets them promptly. what
occasion is there for complaint The
Democratic party, IL it was continually
in session, would be unable to discover
a grievance. 1t would seem that in
such cases entire harmony should pre-
vail between employer and employee.
or to use a common phrase, between
''capltal and labor" It would seem
that working-men themselves had de-
termined what was their equitable
share of the wealth they created, and
having determined that most vital Of
all questions relating to labor it would
seem that they had achieved notable
victory. Indianapolis Sentinel
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
The attempt to prove an incur
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